Rough Trade Records is putting out a monster compilation album of the best music they’ve released over the past 35 years.
The upcoming collection is titled Automat: The Best of Rough Trade Records and charts music from the very beginning of the label’s formation, all the way to the most modern acts.
The independent record label was started by Geoff Travis in 1978. Travis began his career promoting and selling various punk, indie and post-punk albums by artists such as Buzzcocks and The Smiths.
The label was formed with a left-wing ideology and structured like a co-operative, with equal power to all those involved.
In the late ‘80s the label faced major cash problems and was forced to declare bankruptcy. However, the Lazarus return of Rough Trade Records came in the late ‘90s, after Travis discovered groups like the Libertines, Antony and the Johnsons and the Strokes.
The compilation LP features bands such as The Fall, Stiff Little Fingers, The Smiths, Mazzy Star, The Strokes, The Libertines and Arcade Fire.
Other acts include, Belle & Sebastian, Babyshambles, Warpaint, British Sea Power, Emiliana Torrini, Alabama Shakes and Pulp.
It’s the very first time Rough Trade has put out such a vast collection of music for its back catalogue. The songs were chosen by Geoff Travis and several other label employees.
Automat: The Best of Rough Trade Records will be available from March 23rd as a 20-track single CD, a massive 60-song deluxe triple CD, a 20-track double LP or as a gargantuan 60-song download LP.
The track listing for the download version is as follows:
1. Metal Urbain – Paris Maquis
2. Cabaret Voltaire – Do The Mussolini (Headkick)
3. Kleenex – Hedi’s head
4. File Under Pop – Heathrow
5. Stiff Little Fingers – Rough Trade
6. The Monochrome Set – Eine Symphonie Des Grauens
7. The Feelies – Fa Cé La
8. The Pack – King of Kings
9. The Pop Group – Where There’s A Will There’s A Way
10. The Prats – Disco Pope
11. James Blood Ulmer – Are You Glad To Be In America?
12. Young Marble Giants – Wurlitzer Jukebox
13. The Raincoats – Shouting out loud
14. Swell Maps – The Helicopter Spies
15. Missing Scientists – Big City Bright Lights
16. Vic Godard & The Subway Sect – Stop That Girl
17. Chris & Cosey – October (love song)
18. Scritti Politti – The “Sweetest Girl”
19. Robert Wyatt – Born Again Cretin
20. Tav Falco’s Panther Burns – She’s The One That Got It
21. Zounds – More Trouble Coming Every Day
22. The Fall – The Man Whose Head Expanded
23. Rainy Day – I’ll Keep It With Mine
24. The Stars of Heaven – Sacred Heart Hotel
25. The Motorcycle Boy – Big Rock Candy Mountain
26. Arthur Russell – Being It
27. The Smiths – London
28. AR Kane – Baby Milk Snatcher
29. The Sundays – Here’s Where The Story Ends
30. Galaxie 500 – Blue Thunder
31. Mazzy Star – Blue Flower
32. The Strokes – The Modern Age
33. The Libertines – Time For Heroes
34. Palma Violets – Best Of Friends
35. Arcade Fire – Crown Of Love
36. Babyshambles – Albion
37. Antony & The Johnsons – I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy
38. Micachu – Golden Phone
39. Warpaint – Undertow
40. Sufjan Stevens – John Wayne Gacy, Jr
41. Arthur Russell – That’s Us / Wild Combination
42. Jeffrey Lewis – East River
43. Belle & Sebastian – I’m a Cuckoo
44. Scritti Politti – The Boom Boom Bap
45. Mystery Jets – It’s Too Late To Talk
46. British Sea Power – The Great Skua
47. Emiliana Torrini – Autumn Sun
48. Jenny Lewis with The Watson Twins – Rise Up With Fists!!
49. Dylan LeBlanc – Emma Hartley
50. Alabama Shakes – Always Alright
51. Pulp – After You
52. 1990s – You Made Me Like It
53. Benjamin Booker – Violent Shiver
54. Parquet Courts – Sunbathing Animal
55. Life Without Buildings – The Leanover
56. Brakes – What’s In It For Me
57. Spring Heel Jack – Lee Perry
58. Pantha du Prince – Stick To My Side
59. Gruff Rhys – Candylion
60. Jarvis – Running The World
